montereycountynow.com/bestof BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2026 27 BEST LATE-NIGHT HANGOUT Pearl Hour 214 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey (831) 657-9447, pearlhour.com The circus after dark features a provocative and risqué lineup featuring cabarets, vaudeville performances and maybe even some aerial acrobatics. Such would be a little tough to pull off at Pearl Hour, but somehow it happens. Frequent jazz performances, drag shows and burlesque acts and musical happenings are all what’s in store here, along with fantastical craft cocktails from the finest ingredients, many of which are hand-sourced by owner Katie Blandin herself. Even on nights when there isn’t a show happening, it’s still a lovely place to hang out at the bar or by the fire pit on the back patio and enjoy the company of friends. BEST BAR FOR BOOMERS Sardine Factory 701 Wave St., Monterey (831) 373-3775, sardinefactory.com Sardine Factory’s bar is small but mighty, packing a lot of good drinks and fun into one sweet spot where boomers are entertained by longtime favorite Dave Conley at the piano on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. On Sunday evenings is pianist and singer TJ Kuenster, longtime musical director for Glen Campbell. Between the two musicians, it’s a boomers paradise of classic rock hits and, despite the tight space, it’s not uncommon for spontaneous dance parties to break out. BEST BAR FOR GEN X BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR (TIE) Hops and Fog Brewing Co. 511 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. (831) 215-1658, hopsandfog.beer It was the Gen Xers who grew to appreciate authenticity in style and ingredients, abandoning the American cheese, TV dinners and pale lager that were the norm. Yet because they experienced the onset of digital technology, it’s a generation comfortable with change and fusion. Like stale traditional circuses gave way to the complexities of Cirque du Soleil, they adapted to more global and modern ways. Which leads them to Hops and Fog, with its ever-changing lineup of beers and the brewmaster’s willingness to both stay true to tradition (a classic altbier, for example) and play with beer genres. The brewpub’s food menu has a similar vibe, with seasonal elements, but also old-school bar fare (anchovies). All that said, Hops and Fog is not exclusive to Gen X. It has a comfortable feel, with a friendly staff and local regulars that makes it feel like a neighborhood fixture. BEST BAR FOR MILLENNIALS BEST SELECTION OF CRAFT BEER Alvarado Street Brewery 426 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 655-2337 Ocean and Mission, Carmel. (831) 293-8621 301 Main St., Salinas. (831) 356-0219 asb.beer Three rings? Try almost 20. That’s the number of beers on tap on any given day at Alvarado Street locations. And variety extends beyond just the tap count. Light or dark, hoppy or sour, traditional or a bit off the wall—they brew it or stock it. One can even take home a favorite in cans. This is part of what makes Alvarado Street a favorite of millennials, who came of drinking age as the craft beer craze hit full stride. They expect creative beers brewed with care, and the team at Alvarado Street wins gold medals at both state and national beer competitions. And let’s face it—like the unfortunate circus clown for whom nothing goes right, millennials started entering the workforce just as the economy was tanking. They needed a good beer, and still do. BEST BAR FOR GEN Z BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BAR (TIE) Other Brother Beer Co. 877 Broadway Ave., Seaside (831) 747-1106, otherbrotherbeer.com When P.T. Barnum first began welcoming crowds, some of the attractions Arts & Entertainment Best Museum | Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
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